Thomas Lennart Joakim Erikson (born 19 September 1965) is a Swedish author. He is known for his self-help book series Surrounded By, more specifically his book, Surrounded by Idiots, in which he categorizes the personalities of people in colors based on the pseudoscientific DISC assessment.
Early life Thomas Lennart Joakim Erikson was born on 19 September 1965 in Örnsköldsvik, Västernorrland County, Sweden.
Surrounded By Book Series Erikson used the DISC assessment to write his Surrounded By book series. This series includes books such as Surrounded by Idiots (2014), Surrounded by Bad Bosses and Lazy Employees (2021), and Surrounded by Liars (2024).
As of 2019, Surrounded by Idiots has sold 1.5 million copies worldwide, with roughly 750,000 of those sales coming from Sweden alone.
TitleYearNotes & Ref.Surrounded by Idiots2014Uses the DISC method to categorize personality traitsSurrounded by Psychopaths2020Focuses on manipulation tactics & detecting social predatorsSurrounded by Bad Bosses and Lazy Employees2021DISC based advice focusing on workplace leadershipSurrounded by Setbacks 2021Focuses on overcoming personal adversitySurrounded by Narcissists 2022Has themes of emotion manipulationSurrounded by Energy Vampires2023The title refers people who emotionally drained othersSurrounded by Liars2024Has been compared to "astrology for professionals"
Reception and criticism The book, Surrounded by Idiots, has become a global bestseller, being translated into over 40 languages. It has been praised for its accessibility and broad appeal, though there has also been criticism from skeptical organizations due to Erikson's use of the unscientific DISC assessment. In 2018, the Swedish organization, Vetenskap och Folkbildning – the Swedish Skeptics Association (Vof), named Erikson "Fraudster of the Year" after basing his book, Surrounded by Idiots, on the DISC assessment which was characterized as pseudoscientific. In 2024, it was also reiterated that he lacks background and formal education in behavior studies.
Other writings Erikson's debut work was the 2011 crime fiction novel, Bländverk. He also co-authored the Rita Benson book series with his wife, Christina Erikson. The series's first book, Av jord är du kommen, was published in 2015, and its second novel, Dödgrävarens dotter, was published in 2017.
Personal life Erikson is married to novelist Christina Erikson, with whom he has two children. In 2021, he and his wife purchased Svartå Manor.
References
External links Official website